SUGGESTIONS FOR SHOWING VIDEOS

BELOW ARE SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING FOR YOUR CLASSES. A VIDEO CAN BE USEFUL WHEN TEACHING, BUT IT SHOULD BE WORTH THE TIME IT TAKES; AND STUDENTS SHOULD NOT THINK OF IT AS FREE TIME.


§ HOW EDUCATIONAL IS THE VIDEO?

§ WHEN TEACHING A TOPIC, CAN YOU USE AN EDUCATIONAL FILM CLIP OR DOCUMENTARY TO HELP STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THE TOPIC? IS A MOVIE NECESSARY WHEN ONE CAN USE A SHORTER VIDEO OF THE REAL EVENT?

§ CAN YOU USE A THIRTY- MINUTE VIDEO TO MAKE YOUR POINT RATHER THAN A TWO-HOUR HOLLYWOOD MOVIE?

§ WHEN READING A NOVEL OR A PLAY, SHOW THE ACT AFTER YOU READ IT OR THE CHAPTERS AFTER YOU READ THEM. THIS BREAKS UP THE MOVIE AND ALLOWS TIME FOR INSTRUCTION AND VARIETY DURING THE CLASS. THIS IS ALSO MORE BRAIN COMPATIBLE. REMEMBER STUDENTS’ ATTENTION SPANS.

§ USE A VIEWING GUIDE OF SOME KIND SO STUDENTS MUST WATCH. YOU CAN HAVE THEM TAKE NOTES AND GIVE AN OPEN-NOTE QUIZ, OR USE SOME OTHER KIND OF ASSESSMENT.

§ NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF VIDEO YOU SHOW, CONSIDER BREAKING IT INTO PARTS DEPENDING ON THE LENGTH. REMEMBER A STUDENT’S ATTENTION SPAN IS HIS AGE PLUS TWO.

§ MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THE DISTRICT GUIDELINES AS WELL AS COPYRIGHT LAWS.

§ DO OUR STUDENTS LACK ENTERTAINMENT? MOST OF THEM SEE THEIR SHARE OF MOVIES AND TELEVISION. RESEARCH SAYS WATCHING TV DOES NOT PRODUCE GROWTH OF DENDRITES.